Viewpoints
Expert takes and informed perspectives.
Here you’ll find recurring and one-time local commentary on Hawai‘i’s most pressing community and policy issues. We seek out in-depth analysis, solution-driven views and special expertise. If there’s something on your mind that you’re an expert on, email the editor at kam@alohastatedaily.com for consideration.
Community Voices: Complete this Word Find for a hidden message
A creative recap of the past year by the Tax Foundation of Hawai‘i with 26 key words and phrases having to do with government.
Tom YamachikaJanuary 08, 2026
Community Voices: OHA’s 2026 Legislative priorities
"The state legislative session that opens on the third Wednesday in January is particularly important for advancing policies that improve the conditions of Native Hawaiians and defending against attacks on Native Hawaiian rights."
Leināʻala LeyJanuary 06, 2026
Community Voices: Three simple resolutions for Hawaiʻi lawmakers in 2026
And if they stick to them, this year could be a great one for everyone who lives and works in Hawaiʻi.
Keliʻi Akina & Ph.D.January 06, 2026
Community Voices: The tax side of charitable giving in Hawai‘i
Is your giving deductible, or not? It depends. The Tax Foundation of Hawai‘i has advice.
Tom YamachikaDecember 30, 2025
Community Voices: Gaming this year?
Gambling that the Hawai‘i state Legislature just might explore legalized — and taxed — gambling in the upcoming session, here are some of the complications lawmakers will have to keep in mind.
Tom YamachikaDecember 25, 2025
Community Voices: Collaboration, not controversy — the real story of genki balls and the Ala Wai
A Civil Beat article a few months ago looked at Hawai‘i Pacific University research suggesting that Genki Balls are ineffective. Since then, volunteers for Genki Ball days have dropped by 70%. Here, Genki Ala Wai Project leaders discuss the shortcomings of the HPU study and call for scientists and community members working together as the way forward.
Dr. Kenneth Y. Kaneshiro & Fumiko ChunDecember 19, 2025
Community Voices: There’s a new kids’ market in town
The Children’s Entrepreneur Market aims to help keiki learn about entrepreneurship, innovation and leadership through hands-on experience.
Keliʻi Akina & Ph.D.December 18, 2025
Community Voices: Lessons from Lahaina could help Hilo recover
Although the scope of the Lahaina and Hilo fires differs, the lesson is the same: Inflexible regulations can severely delay or even prevent rebuilding. Hawai‘i County could act now to identify and work around those barriers.
Keliʻi Akina & Ph.D.December 10, 2025
Community Voices: Restoring abundance along our Skyline
The city’s new vision to bring food, culture and connection through food access hubs.
Kealoha FoxDecember 08, 2025
Community Voices: Making a federal case out of the Green Fee
The Cruise Line Industry Association has taken the unusual step of filing suit against Hawai‘i's new Green Fee in federal court.
Tom YamachikaDecember 08, 2025
Community Voices: Pitfalls in Hawai‘i tax appeals
When the Hawai‘i state Department of Taxation audits taxpayers, it sends them guidance about the legal process. But the guidance is 20 years old, and could lead taxpayers to do the wrong things in protecting themselves.
Tom YamachikaDecember 01, 2025
Community Voices: State-funded marketing is not the answer to low tourist turnout
Tourism is a competitive, global business. Someone needs to pay for advertising to keep Hawai‘i top of mind, but it shouldn't be local taxpayers.
Keliʻi Akina & Ph.D.November 27, 2025
Community Voices: Lighting the way to safer streets in Waipahu and ‘Ewa
Residents in these Leeward neighborhoods are about to make their bus stops and crosswalks safer in a project led by the Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice, aided with federal grant money.
Abbey SeitzNovember 22, 2025
Community Voices: Many of the proposed Honolulu Charter amendments actually make sense
Among the 250 charter amendment proposals submitted by the public were four from Grassroot Institute of Hawai‘i aimed at speeding up permit approvals and improving cost-of-government accountability.
Keliʻi Akina & Ph.D.November 21, 2025
Community Voices: Student loan forgiveness gets complicated
Student loan forgiveness has been tied to working for the government or for certain nonprofits. Under new federal rules, that might depend on whether the state or local government, or nonprofit, engages in "substantial illegal activities" in the eyes of the federal government
Tom YamachikaNovember 17, 2025
Community Voices: Health care providers might be overcharging on Hawai‘i taxes
Here's how some medical bills might run afoul of Hawai‘i tax laws in overcharging on the GET.
Tom YamachikaNovember 10, 2025
Community Voices: The TATmas Tree
Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is the latest state entity looking for dedicated funding via yet another increase to the Transient Accommodations Tax — but there are problems with both raising this tax repeatedly, and using it for automatic spending that never goes through the normal budgeting process. Here are some solutions.
Tom YamachikaNovember 04, 2025
Community Voices: Lahaina rebuilding inches toward progress
Maui County lawmakers have succeeded at removing some of the barriers to speedy reconstruction.
Keliʻi Akina & Ph.D.October 29, 2025
Community Voices: Spend that money, Vought is watching
It's going to be hard to defend federal block grants for Native Hawaiian housing from budget cuts when state officials are leaving tens of millions of dollars unspent.
Tom YamachikaOctober 28, 2025
Community Voices: With housing, let's have an intergenerational conversation
On Oct. 28, Housing Hawai‘i's Future will host a conversation among the seven living generations who call Hawai‘i home, because housing — and Hawai‘i's lack of affordable housing — affects everyone. Come join the conversation.
Lee WangOctober 25, 2025
Community Voices: Rail is a fail; who’s going to hit the brakes?
We don't know yet just how late and over budget the Honolulu Skyline rail system will be. We do know that its annual budget is growing by nearly 10% a year and city officials are talking about any number of rail extensions. Maybe it's time to let the public drive this train and put such decisions to a vote.
Keliʻi Akina & Ph.D.October 21, 2025
Community Voices: Even More TANF Hoarding
While federal cuts to spending on the states for social service gets headlines, the fact is, Hawai‘i has been letting federal money sit unspent — more than $400 million so far. Here's what the money could help with in the Islands if the state would only use it.
Tom YamachikaOctober 21, 2025
Community Voices: Rebelling against the culture of silence
Too often, state government operates behind walls of consensus and secrecy that leave the public in the dark.
Tom YamachikaOctober 14, 2025
Community Voices: Erasing progress not the way to move forward
Last year, state lawmakers passed Act 39, a major piece of housing reform — but the state's most populous county is trying to get that legislation overturned.
Keliʻi Akina & Ph.D.October 09, 2025
Community Voices: Nonresident withholding, six years later
State legislators passed a law six years ago impacting any partnership, estate or trust operating in Hawai‘i to withhold taxes for nonresident partners. Now the state Department of Taxation has finally issued the rules to start collecting. Here's what you need to know.
Tom YamachikaOctober 07, 2025
Community Voices: Do we really want a ‘rubber stamp’ Legislature?
Hawai‘i's legislators vote "yes" on bills a staggering 98% of the time. Where is the debate on issues that affect us all?
Keliʻi Akina & Ph.D.October 02, 2025
Community Voices: What's happening with state and local tax deductions
What Hawai‘i taxpayers need to know about changes to the SALT deductions.
Tom YamachikaSeptember 30, 2025
Community Voices: Your money stays in Vegas — then the IRS wants some
A trip to Hawai‘i's Ninth Island could have tax ramifications, if you're writing off gambling losses to offset gambling gains. Here's how the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is changing those equations, and a look at what the State of Hawai‘i will have to consider regarding its own gambling taxes.
Tom YamachikaSeptember 23, 2025
Community Voices: Hawaiʻi Legislature sued over ‘blank’ bills
The League of Women Voters of Hawaiʻi contends that this practice of passing a measure with boilerplate language is unconstitutional. Learn also what lawmakers claim.
Keliʻi Akina & Ph.D.September 16, 2025
Community Voices: Charitable giving under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act
Hawai‘i's nonprofits rely on charitable contributions from generous individuals. Here's what you need to know about the new tax rules for writing off these donations on your taxes.
Tom YamachikaSeptember 14, 2025
Community Voices: Kudos to the counties for considering housing reforms
Maui and Hawai‘i counties are both looking into ways to make housing more plentiful.
Keliʻi Akina & Ph.D.September 10, 2025
Community Voices: Time to retire the Jones Act’s U.S.-build requirement
The Jones Act was supposed to protect the American shipbuilding industry, but the industry has withered away despite that support. New legislation by U.S. Rep. Ed Case of Hawai‘i proposes changes to the act that could ultimately reduce shipping costs to the Islands.
Keliʻi Akina & Ph.D.September 03, 2025
Community Voices: No tax on tips
A closer look at what "no tax on tips" in the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act means for Hawai‘i's workers and employers.
Tom YamachikaSeptember 02, 2025
Community Voices: Are you ready for another boondoggle?
Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa has a history of rightfully targeting Honolulu’s rail project for its wasteful spending. Which brings us to the planned Aloha Stadium project...
Keliʻi Akina & Ph.D.August 26, 2025
Community Voices: Classroom heat
The Department of Education spent $100 million on classroom air conditioners. Now the Hawai‘i State Auditor finds that the DOE has no idea where the money went.
Tom YamachikaAugust 25, 2025
Community Voices: ‘New’ HTA board taking off with same old baggage
A government entity tasked with both promoting and limiting tourism is always going to be compromised.
Keliʻi Akina & Ph.D.August 22, 2025
Community Voices: Remembering a life steeped in peace
Dr. Genshitsu Sen, a former WWII kamikaze pilot trainee who turned to the Way of Tea, practicing harmony, respect, purity and more, died last week at age 102. Since the early 1950s, he had deep ties to Hawai'i, including spending time with University of Hawai'i at Mānoa's faculty and students.
Justin PetersonAugust 21, 2025
Community Voices: No tax on overtime
Here's what the "no tax on overtime" provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will mean for your pocketbook.
Tom YamachikaAugust 18, 2025
Two years later, too little rebuilding in Lahaina
Hereʻs how federal, state and county policymakers could go about speeding up the process for displaced residents and business owners.
Keliʻi Akina & Ph.D.August 12, 2025
Community Voices: Encumbrance for the stadium
Under the State of Hawai‘i's constitution and accounting rules, the $350 million budgeted for a new stadium has lapsed, and yet authorities are proceeding as if it hadn't.
Tom YamachikaAugust 11, 2025
Community Voices: Grassroot views on housing reform going mainstream
You might be surprised which U.S. Senator is taking the YIMBY approach — yes, in my backyard.
Keliʻi Akina & Ph.D.August 08, 2025
Community Voices: Constitutional expenditure controls
Over the past 50 years, the Hawai‘i state Legislature has steadily whittled away at constitutional controls over its spending.
Tom YamachikaAugust 04, 2025
Community Voices: New cottage food rules can unleash innovation in Hawai‘i
The state Department of Health is about to release new rules to make it easier for cottage food entrepreneurs to sell their products.
Keliʻi Akina & Ph.D.August 01, 2025
Community Voices: Career Connections launches Hawai‘i high school students into the trades
Interns make $15 an hour while learning essential skills to become carpenters.
Andrew PereiraJuly 28, 2025
Community Voices: Pay for no work
In Hawai‘i's broken civil service system, hundreds of state workers are getting paid to do nothing while investigations into their job performance linger.
Tom YamachikaJuly 28, 2025
Community Voices: Hawai‘i climate policy going overboard on cruise ships
The new climate roadmap from the state Department of Transportation calls for reducing cruise ship visitors to Hawai‘i by 2030 and possibly eliminating them completely by 2040.
Keliʻi Akina & Ph.D.July 21, 2025
Community Voices: Nonprofit Blankety Blank bill
In a rush to help nonprofits that are losing federal funding, the Hawai‘i state Legislature pulled together Senate Bill 933, now Act 310 of 2025, putting $50 million in the hands of a four-person committee that will meet in secret. And the Legislature could not have known what it was voting for — this was yet another Blankety Blank bill devoid of financial details.
Tom YamachikaJuly 21, 2025
Community Voices: Permitting progress prevails
Starting in 2026, new laws signed by Gov. Josh Green go into place to expedite home construction throughout the Islands.
Keliʻi Akina & Ph.D.July 16, 2025
Community Voices: SNAP cliffs are coming
The federal government will have fully funded the cost of food for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program through 2027. But now that the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act is law, that is going to change — potentially putting Hawaiʻi at least $36 million in the hole.
Tom YamachikaJuly 15, 2025
Community Voices: Built through brotherhood and meaningful moments
A personal essay by Makawao Eagle Scout Noah Kalehuawehe, who recently received the 2025 John Henry Felix Leadership Through Service Award.
Noah KalehuaweheJuly 12, 2025
Community Voices: Why I think the governor and Legislature deserve praise
The Hawaiʻi State Legislature has concluded the 2025 regular session, still more work to be done
Keliʻi Akina & Ph.D.July 11, 2025
Community Voices: Ending 'the turf war' around building schools
Until HB422 gets passed into law, the Hawai'i Department of Education has been urging lawmakers to spend general fund money on building new local schools.
Tom YamachikaJuly 07, 2025
Community Voices: Twenty years of nickels
You buy your bottled beverage. You pay your five cent deposit. What happens next is a mess, and has been for decades.
Tom YamachikaJune 30, 2025
Community Voices: ʻRespect and teamworkʻ drives these Hawaiʻi auto technicians
Find out why these three Servco Pacific Inc. employees got into the automotive industry and what keeps them servicing some of Hawaiʻi’s most popular car brands.
Mike Agcanas & Garrett Leong and Jarrett SilvaJune 27, 2025
Community Voices: That Dam Special Fund
With the help of the Hawai‘i state legislature, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources turned an appropriation into a seemingly permanent special fund. It may be for a good cause, but it's not how special funds are supposed to work under the state constitution.
Tom YamachikaJune 23, 2025
Community Voices: A blue wave is helping rock the boat on Jones Act reform
Bipartisan support is growing in Washington and among different states to update the Jones Act and reduce the cost of shipping.
Keliʻi Akina & Ph.D.June 20, 2025
Community Voices: How local nonprofits can practically support each other's mission
Have you ever thought about hiring a nonprofit for professional services? Maybe it's time to, especially if you're a nonprofit reliant on donations. Here's one way we're turning business expenses into "a built-in impact multiplier."
Ed NishiokaJune 19, 2025
Community Voices: Intent to Veto
Among the 19 bills on Gov. Josh Green's veto list are two concerning taxation. Did you know that Hawai‘i still offers certain tax credits for sugar cane — and that in 2025, there are still people interested in them? A bill to eliminate such credits is among the possible vetos.
Tom YamachikaJune 16, 2025
Community Voices: ‘Diversified ag’ rhetoric often doesn’t match reality
Hawai‘i's farmers often feel like their crops have to fight their way through a thick blanket of regulations, but there's some good news on that front from Maui County.
Keliʻi Akina & Ph.D.June 11, 2025
Community Voices: The Unseen Stopper Committees
The recently concluded Legislative session highlighted an undemocratic trend at the Legislature — finance committees gaining power over legislation of all kinds, whether there's a financial impact or not.
Tom YamachikaJune 09, 2025